COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONChardonnay Barrel aged version. 750ml bottle only. This version of Hop God is a fascinating, big, bold Belgian-style Tripel hopped in very high amounts to concentrate citrus, grapefruit and floral aromatics in the nose. The addition of Chardonnay barrel aging adds further dimension and oak tannins to an already wonderfully complex Ale - bringing to mind tropical fruits and peach.

On tap at zenos. Slight haziness; bright orange/gold with white head and lots of carbonation. Aroma is pear, slight peach, and some oak. Flavor is the same plus some grape and a long fairly dry finish. Impressive, interesting, unique beer.

750ml bottle into a Chimay goblet. Thanks to my cousin for the Christmas gift!
A: Pours a hazy amber color. The head is a one finger white shade. While its retention isnít the best, itís both beautifully creamy and leaves a decent ring of lacing on the glass.
S: Very fruity. Intensely fruity, actually. Apples, grapes, pears, oranges, and grapefruit all intertwine on the nose, with a building bubblegum character coming out the more it warms up. The barrel character is moderately strong without being overpowering. One disappointing feature is that I donít pick up much hoppiness, apart from some of the citrusy characteristics blending within the esters. Otherwise, this is an excellent example of a barrel aged tripel, at least on the nose.
T: From the start, the esters hit the palate immediately with strong bubblegum, apple, and pear. Itís on the finish where the hop profile makes itself known. Theyíre more citrusy than piny, and thatís good. The finish is also loaded with a clean oak characteristic - this feature is actually quite powerful, almost overly so. Wait not almost, definitely overly so. The toasted oak flavors run roughshod everything else when sufficiently warmed up. Getting past that, itís a solid brew.
M: Surprisingly on the clean side, with the barrel characteristics doing a good job of drying it out. The tannins are a bit harsh, actually - itís too dry in my mind. On the plus side, thereís very little in the way of prevalent alcohol.
O: Clearly, this isnít much of an IPA, Belgian-style or otherwise: the hops are only a slight addition here, playing second fiddle to the barrel character. This is a perfect example of an over-barreled beer - the base beer pretty much cowers in fear of the chardonnay barrels. Itís a reasonable beer, but considering how much this brewery charges, Iím having a lot of trouble recommending this one (except to barrel lovers, that is).

Flavor start with oak tannins, funky grape hints, and a hop blend that get progressively more bitter as I sip. Oak hangs around after the sip with the bitterness. A lot going on in this brew, really busy. Yeast chewiness with a dry finish. Lots of oak and Chardonnay grapes, honestly the hops are not present here, but a mild alcohol burn is.

"My favorite in a line of really really good Nebraska beers last night. I didnít know what to expect from the chardonnay barrels as Iíve had everything from mellow soft and buttery, to light apple, to sour. This had a light tropical fruitiness and a coconut aspect to the barreling that has been noticed in bourbon aged beers like Bruery White Oak. The aroma is tantalizing fruits and coconut, oak and hops. The hops are subdued but not covered by the barreling and their presence put this one over the top compared to the Melange (same barrels). Expensive, but soooo stinkin good. Mouthfeel soft and full and oh so smooth."

750 bottle. Hazy pale gold with lacing. Tart banana bubblegum with granny apple nose. Mild sweet clove and apple flavors followed with spicey burning tart citrus bitterness. Than a wood vinous dryness. A very big complex beer. Usually this style would be more sweet. Very enjoyable and unique.

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